Despite being done in a studio that holds a worrying resemblance to a hospital in a 3rd world country, or during a “sick time” in Magaluf, some people will swear by their ink. But whilst their “professionally” done sleeve may be timeless the tattoo industry as a whole is starting to fade.

“Tattoo removal is the largest growth sector in cosmetic procedures, not just in the UK but worldwide,” states Dr Tapan Patel, Medical director of PHI Clinic. This is arguably down to being passed off in that big job interview because you thought the stars behind your ear made you look hard, and according to a 2014 study 71% of employers stated tattoos would be enough to not sire someone. Dr Andrew R Timing of the university of ST Andrews tells the Telegraph that the business of tattoo removal “is largely driven” by “employment considerations”.

However In the UK there is expected to be around 20 million people that have gone under the needle and had at least one tattoo. Brits are booking themselves in for an estimated 1.5 million pieces each year, giving the industry a value of £80 million. This could be due to less of a stigma in the workplace and on the streets around owning some ink.

Writer Jesse Borg tells the Huffinton post that its all just a sign of a more open minded culture in the times we live in, “Getting tattoos is more about fitting in by standing out… There may, and probably will come a time when they are just as taboo as before.”